Ohio River Road Volunteer Fire Department

The Ohio River Road Volunteer Fire Department was created on January 1st, 1966, when men from the community came together for the purpose of serving the emergency needs of their community. Roy Meadows served as the first chief and the department operated a fleet that included a 1940 International pumper truck, a 1956 GMC water tanker, and a 1957 Pontiac ambulance.

Like other volunteer departments, the organization involved more than just the members as wives operated a ladies auxiliary that organized fundraising events to help the department purchase gear and equipment. Members hosted horse shows, basketball tournaments, and many other events. The original station was built right along the river, and in the early 1970s, the construction of a new four-bay two-story station along WV Route 2 was approved with funding from a variety of sources. The station cost $25,000 thanks in part to donated labor by members and other volunteers from the community. As the community grew, so did the department's fleet of vehicles and in 1999, an extension was added to extend the apparatus bays. The upstairs of the station was remodeled from 2010 to 2012.

The community supported efforts to replace trucks with more modern apparatus and to replace vehicles that were out of service. In June of 1997, for example, members driving the rescue truck were responding to a structure fire when they became involved in a wreck. In the first three decades, the department bought only used fire trucks to save money but in 1993, the department was able to purchase its first new engine. The advantage of new apparatus includes the option to have the vehicle built specifically for the needs of the department. In 2010, the department was able to order a new rescue truck and the most recent addition was another custom engine built for the department in 2018.

Over the last 54 years, the department has seen its fair share of ups and downs. Not long after its creation, the department was facing bankruptcy and was near insolvency when a bank loan provided a much-needed lifeline to the volunteers who work to save the lives of others. Thanks to contributions and taxes, the department was eventually able to operate with a more reliable stream of income. Today, the department receives money from the county fire levy and an annual fundraising drive .

Today, the department covers more than just its first-due area. The department has an automatic aid agreement with the Barboursville Volunteer Fire Department whenever they have a structure fire. The department also has a mutual aid agreement with Huntington Fire Department, Valley Volunteer Fire Department in Mason County, and will even cross into Ohio and to assist first responders and firefighters across the river when requested.

Ash, David. Interview by Brian Ash, 3 Dec. 2020

Information obtained from a scrapbook in the possession of the Ohio River Road Volunteer Fire Department.